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Gators Divers Make Difference Against Bulls

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By RICK HARMON Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 1, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Both coaches knew the Land O' Lakes-Wiregrass Ranch girls meet Monday at the Land O' Lakes Recreation Complex would be a close one. Both teams have a lot of talent and should, along with Hudson and Sunlake, contest for the Sunshine Athletic Conference title later this month.

Gators coach Robin Hilgenberg and Bulls coach Nicole Bracielle were right. When the scores from the swimming events were calculated, the score was 85-85.

Land O' Lakes had three divers, while Wiregrass Ranch had none, so the 13 points that Gators divers Meredith Diamond, Kelsey Whitaker and Lauren Lynch scored made it a 98-85 final score.

"We always stress to our divers to do the best they can," Hilgenberg said. "Diving is an event, and it counts as an individual event and that's why we practice it. We have a great dive coach in Narla Freed."

Diamond took first place with a 152.70 score, with Whitaker second and Lynch third. In last year's district meet, the Gators scored 32 points, which was the difference between second and third place.

As for the swimming portion, each team won six events. Kaylin Sylvester led Wiregrass (5-2) with four first-place finishes (200 free, 100 free, 200 medley relay and 400 free relay). Nikki Clark (200 IM, 500 free and 200 medley relay) and Rebecca Pindral (100 fly, 200 medley relay and 400 free relay) each won three.

Freshman Alex Pierovich led the Gators (5-0) with two wins (200 free, 100 breast). The closest race of the evening was the 100 breaststroke, when Pierovich reached the wall in 1:13.77 - only .07 seconds ahead of Pindral.

In the boys meet, Land O' Lakes won every event to down the Bulls 131-44. Curt Hilgenberg (200 IM, 100 breast, 200 free relay) and Patrick Gray (500 free, 200 medley relay and 400 free relay) led the Gators with three wins.

The meet was moved to Monday because this is homecoming week at Land O' Lakes.

VISITS START: Sunlake's Brad Morrison will start making his college visits this weekend when he travels to the University of New Orleans.

Morrison, who went to Land O' Lakes for his freshman and sophomore years before Sunlake opened last year, has received interest from more than 20 schools, according to his father, Steve Morrison.

Brad, who has the fastest times in the county in five events this season, has narrowed his additional interest to Florida State, North Carolina State, South Carolina, Indiana and Florida Atlantic.

DISTRICT SITE: With no Pasco County pools meeting the state requirements to host a district meet, hosts scramble every year to find a facility.

This year, the Class 2A-District 5 swim meet will be held at the Bob Sierra Family YMCA in North Tampa on Oct. 31. The diving will be held at Zephyrhills, which is the host school for districts, on Oct. 30.

TONIGHT'S MEETS: Mitchell at Gulf (New Port Richey Aquatic Center); Ridgewood at Zephyrhills (Hercules Aquatic Center); River Ridge at Hudson (Veterans Memorial Park) and Pasco at Sunlake (New Tampa YMCA).

Coaches wishing to contribute to the weekly notebook should email information to Rick Harmon at tampabaystringer@gmail.com. Keyword: Prep Sports, for this week's honor roll.

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